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In Touch 08-09-04

2004Aug 09

COMMENTS

In Touch Daily Devotional
by Dr. Charles Stanley

Monday August 9, 2004InTouch Early Light Devotional

Thinking Our Way to Success
Colossians 3:1-4

God wants us to be a success in our Christian life. He defines success as becoming the person that He wants us to be and accomplishing the goals that He has set for our lives. His Word tells us that godly achievement starts with our thinking. (Proverbs 23:7 KJV) Why? Because God has designed our mind to be a powerful tool that impacts our attitudes and our actions, both toward Him and toward others. The godliness of our minds determines to a large degree the godliness of our lives.

The Scriptures tell us that prior to our salvation, we were alienated and hostile in mind toward the things of God. (Colossians 1:21) So our old way of thinking is of little value in our becoming the person God wants us to be. That is why the Bible instructs us to be made new in the attitude of our thinking (Ephesians 4:23) and gives us direction on what to eliminate from and add to our minds. (Ephesians 4:31-32) Hostile thinking is to be replaced by the truth of the Word.

Reasoning God's way means to "set our minds" on the things of God. Every day, we are to choose to have the Lord's viewpoint; we must also reject any thinking that leads to conformity with the world's ways. (Romans 12:2) When we fix our attention on who God is, on His plan for us, and on how to please Him, we will start thinking His way.

To be a success in the kingdom of God requires "kingdom" thinking. On what will you focus your thoughts today?

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